Working at Resting and Resting at Work

Two things repeatedly come to mind lately, this usually means I should pay attention to them.

One is a comment that I borrowed from titus2.com…(here butchered due to poor memory)

It’s easy to rest in the Lord when you’re laying in a hammock on a spring day. When that hammock is strung between the masts of a ship tossed in the middle of a storm, that’s when rest becomes a challenge.

It really does take a conscious effort to rest in the midst of turmoil, whether that is caused by rather external circumstances such as a house failing to sell or closer to home issues like dealing with your ‘wild child’ or marital spats.

The other is somewhere in Luke (chapter 7, maybe?) where Christ is instructing his disciples, then stops and comments that, after they have done all this will they congratulate themselves? No, because they have only done what their master told them.

When I get all the dishes done, I want to sit down and pat myself on the back and say “good job”. I want someone to come along and appreciate what I do. Not that recognizing a job well done is a bad thing… it’s not. It’s just our expectation of it is so silly. So human. Generally, if I find myself slacking in parental duties, at heart it is because I’m not getting the recognition that I want. When you spend all day building into them only to receive whining. fighting and strife in return, where’s the purpose of that? Sometimes I cease to do what I’m supposed to do because others aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do either, why should I. Typical job situation, right?

Yet, shouldn’t I be able to do what I am supposed to do without expecting reward or recognition? Can I rest in God’s will enough to do my work as I should?

Case in point:

I just answered a phone call from our realtor. While trying to update her, I enter the living room to interrupt a VERY LOUD spat between my "wronged" daughter and my angry, temper-tantrum throwing one year old. Then I notice that they are fighting over the taking of a pop tart which has been smeared on many things OTHER than faces and hands. The pop tart shouldn’t have been in the living room to begin with.

THOSE types of situations, I’m supposed to rest in. I’m supposed to work in. I’m not supposed to expect a reward for correcting behaviors, instructing on cleanup and cleaning up. Nor should I feel owed a break after it’s over. I still need to complete this quickly so I can get on with cleaning off the table, baking and picking up. Not only am I supposed to be working, I’m supposed to be resting in God and not in myself. If I were depending on myself, my inner conversation would go something like this:

"Why can’t they behave, why am I always the one who has to deal with this, I’m tired, my head hurts, I just want to accomplish ONE THING without interruption…I JUST DON’T HAVE THE PATIENCE FOR THIS THIS MORNING!"

Can you tell that I’ve had that inner conversation before?

So… for what will probably be a long time, I will be working on resting and resting while working…